If I am reading this right, Swiminfo.com is reporting that Craig Stevens is indeed going to back out of the 400 and leave it up to Australia Swimming to "pick another member of the Olympic Team" to swim that race in Athens. If I am ANY other country, swimmer, the 3rd place finisher at the Trials or an organization interested in ethics, then I am raising a stink on this one!!!! Thorpe DQ'd and the Aussies are going to skirt the rule and get him in anyway. They would be relegated to the status of Ben Johnson, Rosie Ruiz, and the 60+% of MLB who are on steriods! This is FREAKIN' UNBELIEVABLE. I have no respect for any of the aforementioned and if this happens, none for Ian Thorpe and the Australian swim federation (or whatever official name they hide behind) are in that seeming, stinking pile.
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Originally posted by KenChertoff
This article about the pressures being put on Craig Stevens to drop out puts a whole new complexion to this story:
www.news.com.au/.../0,4057,9304638%5E13780,00.html
Whatever the merits of Thorpe's situation, the treatment Stevens is getting is unconscionable.
First of all I would bet my life on the fact that Ian Thorpe has personally nothing to do with putting pressure on Stevens. It's more likely the media, the sponsors or simply the Australian people that don't want to dismiss so easily winning a gold medal. If anything this should be another reason why Thorpe should swim the 400: the Australian public wants Thorpe! And Stevens will still be in Athens fighting to win a medal in the 1500, so everybody is happy in the end.
Originally posted by KenChertoff
This article about the pressures being put on Craig Stevens to drop out puts a whole new complexion to this story:
www.news.com.au/.../0,4057,9304638%5E13780,00.html
Whatever the merits of Thorpe's situation, the treatment Stevens is getting is unconscionable.
First of all I would bet my life on the fact that Ian Thorpe has personally nothing to do with putting pressure on Stevens. It's more likely the media, the sponsors or simply the Australian people that don't want to dismiss so easily winning a gold medal. If anything this should be another reason why Thorpe should swim the 400: the Australian public wants Thorpe! And Stevens will still be in Athens fighting to win a medal in the 1500, so everybody is happy in the end.
